Microsoft/Sagem PDA/Phone Launch 2001:
Nov 10,2000
Sagem to Launch Handheld
Using Microsoft's Software
By David Pringle
Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
Dark horse Sagem SA is aiming to win the race to turn the personal organizer into a purpose-built top-end mobile phone.
The French technology company plans to launch an all-in-one gizmo running Microsoft Corp.'s Pocket PC operating system in Europe in the first quarter of 2001, in hopes of edging out its competitors in being first to the market. Sagem is one of Europe's top 10 suppliers of mobile phones, but the WA3050 will be its first handheld computer.
Over the next few months, a number of companies are preparing to launch clip-on modules that will allow existing personal organizers to work as phones. But Microsoft expects Sagem's WA3050 to be the first handheld computer to work as a phone straight out of the box.
The Redmond, Washington, software group is hoping that Sagem's hybrid device, and others like it, will elevate the personal organizer into a mass-market device. Mobile phones currently outsell handheld computers by about 40 to 1. Adam Anger, business manager for Microsoft's European Mobility Group, said the software giant hopes that the WA3050 will be sold through mobile-phone distribution channels rather than through computer outlets. "Sagem is used to working with mobile operators," he said.
Microsoft said the WA3050 is likely to cost up to 1,000 euros at retail, but mobile-phone operators may sell it at a lower price as part of a wireless service package.
The French company is one of many mobile-phone makers eyeing the personal organizer market, which is currently dominated by Palm Inc. of Santa Clara, California. Leading mobile-phone makers Nokia Corp. and Motorola Inc. plan to launch their own tablet-style devices running London-based Symbian Ltd.'s Quartz operating system in the second quarter of 2001.
But Palm's machines and other organizers running Palm's software will also be able to double as phones very soon. For example, Mountain View, California-based Handspring Inc. plans to launch its VisorPhone module in Europe early next year. Expected to retail for 350 euros, the VisorPhone attaches to the back of a Handspring personal organizer so it can be used as a phone. The cheapest Handspring costs about 150 euros.
But at 198 grams, Sagem's WA3050 will be lighter than the Handspring package. It will also include a GPRS, or general packet radio services, receiver, allowing it to maintain a permanent and relatively quick connection to the Internet.
Siemens AG, Casio Computer Co. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. are planning to launch similar devices using Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system in the near future. |
